Emily Haig (1890-1978) was an ardent conservationist who was active in
conservation organizations and activities beginning in 1912. At that time Haig
became a member of the Sierra Club and joined in the opposition to the
construction of the Hetch Hetchy Dam in Yosemite. In 1923 she came to Seattle,
where she continued her involvement in conservation and became active in the
Parent and Teachers Association (state president from 1934-1938), the Seattle
Girl Scouts, and the American National Red Cross (board member of the
Seattle-King County chapter). She was also a board member of the North Cascades
Conservation Council, the Olympic Park Associates, the Nature Conservancy
(Washington chapter), the Natural Resources Forum, and the Washington Arboretum
Foundation. In addition, she was president of the Seattle Audubon Society and
an active member of the Seattle Mountaineers, the Federation of Western Outdoor
Clubs, the Pacific Northwest Chapter of the Sierra Club, and the Washington
Environmental Council. Haig was a force behind the establishment of the
Japanese Tea Garden and the Foster Island Bird Sanctuary in the University of
Washington Arboretum in Seattle. She was also involved in the protection of
other areas in the state, including Leadbetter Point, sections of Olympic and
Rainier National Parks, North Cascades National Park, Glacier Peak Wilderness
Area, Nisqually Delta, and many others.

The collection consists of personal papers and materials related to
Haig's involvement with conservation groups and other organizations from 1933
to 1972. Her personal papers include correspondence, writings, reports,
photographs, and other materials largely relating to the many conservation
causes with which she was involved. Also included in the personal papers series
are several folders of congressional bills from both the U.S. House and the
U.S. Senate, 1957-1967.

Haig's active involvement with conservation issues is documented in
the conservation organizations series, which includes materials from
organizations such as the Mountaineers, the Arboretum Foundation, and the
Nature Conservancy. The Sierra Club papers in this series include materials
documenting the dispute between the Sierra Club board of directors and
Executive Director Dave Brower, 1967-1969.

The series related to organizations not primarily concerned with
conservation documents Haig's involvement with the American Red Cross, the Girl
Scouts of America, and the Parents and Teachers Association, among others.

Preferred Citation

Arrangement

Emily Haig's papers have been divided into 3 series -- personal
papers, conservation, and non-conservation oriented organizations. The personal
papers series contains a small amount of personal material as well as
conservation material that did not belong in the other series.

Personal papers

Conservation organizations

Arboretum Foundation

Audubon Society

Federation of Western Outdoor Clubs (FWOC)

Mountaineers

Natural Resources Forum

Nature Conservancy

North Cascades Conservation Council (NCCC)

Olympic Park Associates (OPA)

Sierra Club

Washington Environmental Council (WEC)

Non-conservation organizations

American National Red Cross, Seattle-King County
Chapter

Girl Scouts of America

North End Flower Club

Parents and Teachers Associations

Seattle mayor, Seattle Kobe Affiliation Committee

Washington State Graduate Nurses Association, Planning
Committee

Preservation Note

The papers are stored offsite and advance notice is required for use.
Contact the Special Collections division of the University of Washington
Libraries.

Acquisition Information

Gift of Emily Haig, August 8, 1966, with additional material donated
in 1967 and 1972.

Hazel Wolf donated a subject file on the possible development of
Mount Rainier National Park circa February 1979.

In 1967-1969, the Sierra Club headquarters staff underwent a
period of sharp controversy during which part of the board of directors was
pitted against Executive Director Dave Brewer. Other individuals and chapters
joined the dispute, which culminated in a board election with two slates of
nominees ranged against one another. The dispute began over a board decision
regarding a California Pacific Gas & Electric power plant to be built in
Diablo Canyon on the California Coast. Dave Brower was accused of going against
the wishes of the board and the membership. From that point, charges and
counter-charges escalated and spread. Brower was accused of mishandling
finances in the Sierra Club publications program. At the same time, the IRS
revoked the Sierra Club tax status, initiating a long legal battle. This issue
also eventually became part of the earlier controversy. Finally, a
"grass-roots" committee was formed called Committee for an Active Bold
Constructive Sierra Club (ABC).

Material regarding the club's internal dispute is arranged in a
subject series called "Sierra Club organizational crisis," with subseries for
general correspondence arranged chronologically, and followed by the various
aspects of the controversy arranged by subject or other series. Additional
material can be found under the minutes and reports series for the period
1967-1969.